Bowling trainer



Oct. 21, 1969 M. A. PECORA, SR 3,473,804

BOWLING TRAINER Filed Oct. 10, 1966 INVENTOR.

Mae A a A. Pave/we.

ATTORNEYS- 3,473,804 BOWLING TRAINER Michael A. Pecora, Sr., P.0. Box 120, RED. 2, Drums, Pa. 18222 Filed Oct. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,383 Int. Cl. A63 69/00, 63/04, 63/06 US. Cl. 273-54 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bowling training device consisting of an overhead support for depending flexible target strips arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs to provide a path for the bowler to try to obtain upon bowling the ball. The target members are adjustable transversely of the bowling alley as well as rotationally to permit the position of the path as well as the angle of the path with respect to the bowling alley to be adjusted.

This invention relates to a bowling trainer, and more particularly to a device providing a target area through which the bowling ball is rolled in an attempt to impact the pins at a desired point.

Bowling trainer devices are broadly known in the prior art as exemplified by United States Patent 2,998,660, to Hickey, United States Patent 3,076,652, to Wolff, United States Patent 3,094,330, to Smith, and United States Patent 3,105,685, to Jahn. Each of these devices of the prior art is characterized by a support securing the device alongside a bowling alley, a generally horizontal member extending across the bowling alley, and a pair of spaced apart target strips secured to the horizontal member to provide a target through which the bowling ball is thrown. One disadvantage of the prior art bowling trainers is that the single pair of spaced apart target strips is insufiicient to insure accurate aiming of the bowling hall. For example, the bowling ball may roll directly between the target strips at an incorrect angle if the bowler approaches the foul line at an incorrect angle.

The device of the instant invention overcomes this disadvantage by providing, in effect, spaced aiming areas along the longitudinal axis of the bowling alley. This is accomplished by positioning spaced pairs of separated target strips so that the ball rolls between the first pair of strips and then the second. Another advantage of the bowling trainer of the instant invention resides in its capability of laterally offsetting one of the pair of target strips with respect to the other. This is often required because the bowler desires to throw a hook in order to impact the pins at the appropriate angle. The lateral offsetting of the target strips is accomplished by securing the target strips to a unitary member and providing for the rotary adjustment of the unitary member about a vertical axis.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a bowling trainer device which includes longitudinally spaced aiming areas to indicate a path for ball travel.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a bowler training device of the character described including longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely separated target strips.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide a bowling trainer device of the character previously mentioned in which the spaced pairs of target strips may be laterally offset with respect to each other.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive bowler training device which may be easily and readily placed and removed from its operative position above a bowling lane.

A still further object of the instant invention is to pronited States Patent vide an aiming device for instruction in bowling in which the longitudinally spaced aiming areas may be adjusted across the width of the bowling alley for use by either left or right handed bowlers.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention reside in combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction and utilization, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a bowling lane equipped with the training device of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view of the bowling alley of FIGURE 1, taken substantially along line 22 thereof as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows illustrating the longitudinally spaced aiming areas laterally offset with respect to each other to provide an aiming path for a hooking ball;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the aiming device of FIGURES 1 and 2 taken substantially along line 33 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of the training device of FIGURE 2 taken substantially along line 44 thereof as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a partial enlarged top view of the aiming device of FIGURE 2 as seen from along line 55 thereof, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows illustrating the adjustment of the unitary frame member about a vertical axis;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of construction; and

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view partially broken away of the device of FIGURE 6.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like elements throughout the several views thereof, the bowler training device of the instant invention illustrated generally at 10 is positioned intermediate the ends of a bowling lane designated generally at 12. Lane 12 is of conventional construction and includes a bowler runway area 14, a ball runway area 16, and a pin area shown generally at 18. Conventional gutters 20 are on each side of ball runway 16 and are separated from a gutter 22 of an adjacent lane by a rail 24 as shown best in FIGURE 2. Conventional aiming spots 26 are provided on ball runway 16 a short distance from foul line 28 in a conventional manner.

Training device 10 is supported adjacent ball runway 16 a short distance from foul line 28 and preferably in the vicinity of aiming spots 26 as shown in FIGURE 1. In using the device of the instant invention, the longitudinally spaced aiming areas of the instant invention are positioned in an appropriate position above ball runway 16 to designate a path for bowling ball 30. The neophyte bowler uses runway 14 for the conventional approach and releases bowling ball 30 attempting to insure that its trace follows a path 32 as shown in FIG- URE 1. Because of the use of longitudinally spaced aiming areas, if the bowler succeeds in rolling ball 30 through training device 10, satisfactory results are almost certain to follow. It will be seen that the second pair of target strips will be touched by the ball if the angle of approach on runway 14 is incorrect even though the ball passes through the first set of target strips.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 to 5 inclusive, training device 10 includes mounting means designated generally at 34 supporting a first pair of transversely spaced target strips 36, 38 and a second pair of transversely spaced target strips 40, 42 in longitudinally spaced apart relation. Mounting means 34 preferably includes support means shown generally at 44 affixed adjacent ball runway 16, an L-shaped member having a vertical arm 46 and a horizontal arm 48, and spacing means designated generally at 50 on arm 48 positioning target strips 36, 38 and 40, 42 in longitudinally spaced apart relation.

Although support means 44 may be of any convenient type, as exemplified in the aforementioned patents, it is preferred that it includes a horizontal plate 52 secured to the horizontal portion of rail 24 by a plurality of fasteners 54 such as screws, nails or the like. An upstanding sleeve 56 is integrally secured to plate 52 and slidably receives vertical arm 46 with a thumb screw 58 providing means for releasably aifixing arm 46 in support means 44.

Spacing means 50 preferably includes a sleeve 60 slidably mounted on horizontal arm 48 with a thumb screw 62 providing means for adjustably mounting spacing means 50 for movement toward and away from support means 44 to accommodate left and right handed bowlers. It will also be evident that the lateral adjustment spacing means 50 accommodates the aiming of ball 30 to pick up a spare or accommodates person who throw hooks of varying degrees of break. Sleeve 60 also includes an upstanding threaded member 64 which is received in the crossbar 66 of a unitary frame member constituting spacing means 50. The unitary frame member includes generally longitudinally extending segments 68, 70 secured, as by welding or the like, to opposite terminal ends of crossbar 66, as seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5. A wingnut 72 is preferably received on threaded member 64 to fix spacing means 50 in any desired angular position about the axis of threaded member 64. It will accordingly be seen that the longitudinally spaced aiming areas provided by target strips 36, 38 and 40, 42 may be laterally offset to accomplish the purposes hereinbefore mentioned.

Target strips 36, 38, 40, 42 are preferably made of a flexible material, such as a leather, plastic or other similar strip of material and may be separately secured to the terminal ends of segments 68, 70. It is preferred, however, that segments 68, 70 include longitudinal passageways 74, '76 with strips 36, 40 being interconnected by an intermediate flexible section 78 and strips 38, 42 being connected by intermediate section 80. By threading the separate flexible members through segments 68, 70 it will be readily seen that target strips 36, 38, 40, 42 are correctly positioned.

To summarize the use of training device of the instant invention, vertical arm 46 is aifixed in support means 44 with horizontal arm 48 extending across ball runway 16 a suitable distance thereabove. Spacing means 50 is then positioned at the appropriate distance from support means 44 by sliding sleeve 60 along horizontal arm 48 and advancing thumb screw 62 at the desired position. If it is desired to laterally oifset the longitudinally spaced aiming areas provided by target strips 36, 3S and 40, 42, wingnut 72 is loosened and spacing means 50 is angularly adjusted about the axis of the threaded member 64 followed by the tightening of wingnut 72. After these preliminary assembly steps, training device 10 is ready for use with the bowler attempting to roll ball 30 between strips 36, 38 and 40, 42 to follow imaginary path 32.

FIGURES 6 and 7 disclose a modified form of construction, wherein a portable unit generally indicated at 10a includes a horizontal arm 46a along which a sleeve 60a is slidable. Sleeve 60a carries a rotatable cross bar 66a which in turn carries longitudinal members 68a and 70a, the latter in turn carrying target strips 36a, 38a, 40a

and 42a. A thumb screw 62a serves to lock the components in a desired position of adjustment. All of the above components are substantially identical to those corresponding parts previously described, with the exception of the fact that in this form of the invention bar 66a is positioned beneath rather than above horizontal arm 48a.

In this form of the invention, which is portable and designed to be employed on any flat surface, such as 1 gymnasium, rather than exclusively in a bowling alley, vertical member 46 and its associated fitting 44 are disposed with. In this modification studs 49 and 51 extend from the opposite ends of arm 48a. Each stud is provided with a pair of diverging legs 53, and 57, 59 respectively. The lower ends of the legs may be furnished with rubber caps 61, and are even so that this form of the invention may be used on any flat level surface.

It is now seen that there is herein provided an improved bowling trainer device which accomplishes all or the objects and advantages of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that the foregoing is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An aiming device for bowling alleys comprising an elongate arm,

means for supporting the arm in a generally horizontal position,

a spacing member,

means mounting the spacing member on the arm for movement along and rotation relative to the arm.

a first pair of spaced depending flexible movable target strips mounted on said spacing member and defining a first plane,

a second pair of spaced depending flexible movable target strips mounted on the spacing member onposite said first pair of strips and defining a second plane, said second plane being spaced from and generally parallel to said first plane.

2. The aiming device of claim 1 wherein the mounting means includes means adjustably mounting the spacing member for selective rotary movement about a vertical axis for adjusting the angle of the planes.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means mounting the spacing member on the arm includes .1 tubular member slidable on said arm and having means thereon for releasably clamping said tubular member in fixed position on said arm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,994,968 8/ 1961 Phillips. 2,998,660 9/1961 Hickey. 3,046,012 7/1962 Marx 273-51 3,076,652 2/1963 Wolff. 3,094,330 6/ 1963 Smith. 3,105,685 10/1963 Jahn. 3,111,315 11/1963 Vermeulen 2735l K 3,210,079 10/ 1965 Tryon. 3,252,705 5/ 1966 Cornberg. 3,317,208 5/1967 Birkic.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner 

